The import ban on fish and seafood from Russia and certain processed suppliers will ripple into the United States market. This viewpoint comes from RIA News, quoted by German Zverev, who chairs the All-Russian Association of Fishing Enterprises, Entrepreneurs and Exporters (VARPE).
Zverev warned that the sharp shock from the US government’s sanctions will likely be felt not by Russian fishing fleets, but by American consumers who rely on these imports. He noted that initial sanctions already pushed up crab prices and increased operating costs for hotels and restaurants in several states. With the Treasury’s latest restrictions, the situation could worsen for salmon, cod, and pollock across the US supply chain.
According to Zverev, domestic catch in the United States has fallen by about half over the past decade, creating a growing dependency on foreign supplies to meet demand.
The remarks come as President Biden signed a decree tightening anti-Russian sanctions. The new measures also block imports of fish and diamonds from Russia, even if processed elsewhere, and allow authorities to cut foreign banks suspected of aiding the Russian military in the US financial system. These steps broaden the financial- and trade-related pressure on Russia.
Earlier, the United States expanded its list of anti-Russian sanctions to cover additional sectors and entities, reinforcing the broader strategic stance in response to ongoing geopolitical tensions.